The new high-speed train line to Toton could be met with an extension to the tram line, helping to improve connectivity and get people to and from London faster.

The final route of the HS2 leg, which involves taking the line to Toton, is yet to be given Royal assent but is expected to be rubber-stamped in the coming months.

Now, Nottingham City Council has asked the Secretary of State for Transport, Chris Grayling, to consider the extension of the tram while putting in place designs for the new station.

The current tram line ends about two miles short of where the new station - officially called the East Midlands Hub - will be.

Plans are also being put forward to ensure there are conventional train links with the new station, so people can get from Toton to Nottingham Station by rail.

Between the Toton Lane tram stop, where the tram line currently terminates, and Toton Sidings, where the HS2 station will be built, is predominantly arable land - which could potentially minimise the disruption caused by the works.

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The council’s Joint Planning Advisory Board has now asked the Government to consider the connectivity of the Toton station, to ensure that communities in Nottingham and Derby can reap the potential benefits.

The statement from the group states that it will: “Request that the Secretary of State has due regard to the desirability of enabling classic compatible trains, new classic through-rail services, new classic shuttle train services, an extension of the NET Tram, mass-transit connections to Derby and East Midlands Airport, local through bus service operation, taxi, cycling and pedestrian access from both sides of the station, and the strategic development potential of adjacent land in the design of the East Midlands Hub Station."

The Government has issued these artist's impressions of how the HS2 station at Toton Sidings will look.

The journey time from the city centre to the train stop is likely to be about 40 minutes by tram – it currently takes around 35 minutes to travel from the Old Market Square stop to Toton Lane station.

The train from the new Toton station to London is expected to be 51 minutes, according to HS2’s figures.

This would make a total journey time of an hour and 31 minutes – 13 minutes faster than a direct train from Nottingham to London, which currently takes an hour and 44 minutes.

City council leader councillor Jon Collins said: “The confirmed route for HS2 is a great opportunity for Nottingham, and to unlock its potential we need to make sure the East Midlands Hub at Toton is well connected to national, regional and local networks.

“An efficient rail connection into the city centre will be needed to maximise HS2’s benefits. We are looking to promote a rail shuttle service, which would provide a fast link into the city.

"We’re also advocating a short extension to the tram network, which would provide access to key destinations along the existing tram route, including the QMC, Boots Enterprise Zone and the University of Nottingham.

“These new rail and tram links, together with connections to East Midlands Airport and Derby, will offer a greater choice of travel, reduce congestion and help support the city’s future growth.”

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A spokesman for HS2 said: “HS2 is Europe's largest infrastructure project, delivering major benefits to the East Midlands. It will transform rail travel between the Midlands and the North, as well as to the South, boosting capacity, improving connectivity and helping to rebalance the national economy.

“HS2 is also becoming integral to local plans to drive business growth, create jobs and secure investment in the area years before it arrives, particularly with the regeneration opportunities provided by the new station at Toton.

“This brand new East Midlands Hub station will support more than 1,500 new jobs, serve the cities of Derby, Nottingham and Leicester and connect the East and West Midlands with significantly reduced journey times.”